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What is it like to learn that your child died while incarcerated on Christmas Eve when they were set to be released two weeks later?
That is the tragic reality Yvonda Staten is enduring, which she calls unimaginable. Staten’s son Davon Warren died on Dec. 24, 2023, at Bibb County Correctional Facility.
“I just can’t even describe it,” Staten said. “I hear people say that it’s just like a nightmare.”
APR reported on Warren’s death originally and ADOC confirmed his passing.
“On Sunday, December 24, 2023, an inmate death was reported at Bibb Correctional Facility,” ADOC stated. “Inmate Davon Warren was discovered unresponsive in his bed. He was transferred to the Health Care Unit where life-saving measures were attempted but were unsuccessful. Warren was pronounced deceased by the attending physician.”
However, APR was informed by a source that the life-saving measures that Warren allegedly received made no difference because rigor mortis had already set in.
Staten said that she found out from Warren’s aunt who knew an individual in prison that her son passed away. It took Staten calling the prison herself to have the prison chaplain flatly confirm the tragic news. Staten said all the Chaplain said to her was, “Ma’am, he passed,” which resulted in Staten bursting into tears.
Then the chaplain called Staten’s mother and asked how they found out Warren passed. Staten was taken aback at how he cared more about how they found out that her son died and never appeared sympathetic.
Davon Warren
“Didn’t call back and say my condolences or nothing,” Staten said.
Staten said she has not heard from a warden of the facility yet since Warren’s death as she has been told they would remain out until Jan. 2. Staten questioned, “Well, who is running the prison then?”
Staten also revealed that Warren was being held at a county jail after being acquitted of his charges on Nov. 21. Staten said she believed Warren would remain at the prison until the individual who covered his time served papers at the Bibb County courthouse returned from the holidays. But Staten said Warren called her on Dec. 21 and told her he thinks they’re going to send him back to the prison after testing him for COVID-19, which is protocol for transfers.
Staten said that Warren then passed just 48 hours later after arriving back at Bibb County Correctional Center. It is still unclear why Warren was moved and who made that decision to move him. Staten said that even Warren’s attorney, Marcelyn Angwin, did not know Warren was moved back until Staten told Angwin he was found unresponsive at the prison.
“Why they send him back to Bibb County, I don’t know,” Staten said. “His lawyer doesn’t know, nobody knows. But my son wasn’t down there 48 hours before he was dead.”
Warren’s death is under investigation by ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division and Staten believes someone intentionally harmed her son. Warren was going to go home Jan. 9 and Staten told APR he already made plans to get a job at a steel mill and buy his own house to take care of his kids. She said her son was serious about doing better in his life and he was not a liar.
Staten admitted that the experience has taken a toll on her as she has had to get on anti-depressants, has hardly slept or eaten and has struggled every day since her son’s death. However, Staten is determined to get accountability and justice for Warren.
“I just want to bring some awareness to this because his death is not going to be in vain,” Staten said.
